Volitron: On a Psychodynamic Robot and Its Four Realities

This paper discusses the concept of Volitron - a controller to make its host robot increase its competence in such activities as self-initiated exploration of an environment, new goal acquisition, and planning/executing of actions while taking into account predicted behaviors of objects of interest. There are four key elements in Volitron's structure: a model of perceived reality, a model of desired reality, a model of ideal reality and a model of anticipated reality. The task of a robot's working memory includes producing images of the robot itself imitating another subject's activities and sending the images to a model of desired reality. A tension (a concept borrowed from psychoanalysis) arising from the differences between a perceived reality and a desired reality is a source of a motivation toward action. The final decision to take an action is based on a comparison of the model of anticipated reality with that of ideal reality. The interaction of Volitron's elements are described in the paper. Furthermore, a computational model of working memory (WM) and its psychological justification are provided

Cellular Automata Realization of Regular Logic

This paper presents a cellular-automatic model of a reversible regular structure called Davio lattice. Regular circuits are investigated because of the requirement of future (nano-) technologies where long wires should be avoided. Reversibility is a valuable feature because it means much lower energy dissipation. A circuit is reversible if the number of its inputs equals the number of its outputs and there is a one-to-one mapping between spaces of input vectors and output vectors. It is believed that one day regular reversible structures will be implemented as nanoscale 3-dimensional chips. This paper introduces the notion of the Toffoli gate and its cellular-automatic implementation, as well as an example of the Davio lattice built exclusively of Toffoli gates and run on a special cellular automaton called CAM-Brain Machine (CBM)

Evolving Quantum Circuits and an FPGA-based Quantum Computing Emulator

The goal of the PQLG group is to develop complete methodologies, software tools and circuits for quantum logic. Our interests are mainly in logic synthesis for quantum circuits and quantum system design [10]. Emulation of quantum circuits using standard reconfigurable FPGA technology and FPGA-based Evolvable Quantum Hardware, proposed here, are research areas not yet dealt with by other research groups. A parallel software simulator was presented in [13]

Regularity and Symmetry as a Base for Efficient Realization of Reversible Logic Circuits

We introduce a Reversible Programmable Gate Array (RPGA) based on regular structure to realize binary functions in reversible logic. This structure, called a 2 * 2 Net Structure, allows for more efficient realization of symmetric functions than the methods shown by previous authors. In addition, it realizes many non-symmetric functions even without variable repetition. Our synthesis method to RPGAs allows to realize arbitrary symmetric function in a completely regular structure of reversible gates with smaller “garbage” than the previously presented papers. Because every Boolean function is symmetrizable by repeating input variables, our method is applicable to arbitrary multi-input, multi-output Boolean functions and realizes such arbitrary function in a circuit with a relatively small number of garbage gate outputs. The method can be also used in classical logic. Its advantages in terms of numbers of gates and inputs/outputs are especially seen for symmetric or incompletely specified functions with many outputs

Endothelin-1 as a neuropeptide: neurotransmitter or neurovascular effects?

Endothelin-1 (ET-1) is an endothelium-derived peptide that also possesses potent mitogenic activity. There is also a suggestion the ET-1 is a neuropeptide, based mainly on its histological identification in both the central and peripheral nervous system in a number of species, including man. A neuropeptide role for ET-1 is supported by studies showing a variety of effects caused following its administration into different regions of the brain and by application to peripheral nerves. In addition there are studies proposing that ET-1 is implicated in a number of neural circuits where its transmitter affects range from a role in pain and temperature control to its action on the hypothalamo-neurosecretory system. While the effect of ET-1 on nerve tissue is beyond doubt, its action on nerve blood flow is often ignored. Here, we review data generated in a number of species and using a variety of experimental models. Studies range from those showing the distribution of ET-1 and its receptors in nerve tissue to those describing numerous neurally-mediated effects of ET-1

UV imaging reveals facial areas that are prone to skin cancer are disproportionately missed during sunscreen application.

Application of sunscreen is a widely used mechanism for protecting skin from the harmful effects of UV light. However, protection can only be achieved through effective application, and areas that are routinely missed are likely at increased risk of UV damage. Here we sought to determine if specific areas of the face are missed during routine sunscreen application, and whether provision of public health information is sufficient to improve coverage. To investigate this, 57 participants were imaged with a UV sensitive camera before and after sunscreen application: first visit; minimal pre-instruction, second visit; provided with a public health information statement. Images were scored using a custom automated image analysis process designed to identify areas of high UV reflectance, i.e. missed during sunscreen application, and analysed for 5% significance. Analyses revealed eyelid and periorbital regions to be disproportionately missed during routine sunscreen application (median 14% missed in eyelid region vs 7% in rest of face, p<0.01). Provision of health information caused a significant improvement in coverage to eyelid areas in general however, the medial canthal area was still frequently missed. These data reveal that a public health announcement-type intervention could be effective at improving coverage of high risk areas of the face, however high risk areas are likely to remain unprotected therefore other mechanisms of sun protection should be widely promoted such as UV blocking sunglasses

Evolved Reversible Cascades Realized on the CAM-Brain Machine (CBM)

This paper presents a new approach to reversible cascade evolution based on a 3D cellular automaton. As a research platform we used the ATR\u27s CAMBrain Machine (CBM). Reversible circuits are investigated because they are expected to dissipate much less energy than their irreversible counterparts. One day they will be implemented as nano-scale 3-dimensional chips. A circuit is reversible if the number of its inputs equals the number of its outputs and there is a one-to-one mapping between spaces of input vectors and output vectors. This paper provides: (1) a brief introduction to reversible logic concentrating on definitions and properties of the Feynman, Toffoli, Fredkin gates; (2) an introduction to the 3D cellular logic machine (CLM) that is a cellular automaton with frozen and pulsing state variables; and (3) a collection of reversible structures evolved using a dedicated GA and located in the CBM using the NeuroMaze 3.0 Pro, a software tool for computer-aided design of CBM-style structures

Determining And Classifying The Region Of Interest In Ultrasonic Images Of The Breast Using Neural Networks

This paper describes in detail how ultrasonic images of the female breast have been processed and neural nets used to aid the identification of malignant and benign areas in them. The images are windowed, filtered and pre-processed using a `spider-web` extraction algorithm into suitable patterns for processing by a neural net. Two networks are trained and used: one for malignant cases and the other for benign cases. These are used to make predictions of regions of interest for unknown cases. The predictions are presented as circles overlayed on the image. The relative sizes of the circles give an indication of the diagnosis category and the position of the circles show where the centre of gravity of the regions of interest lay. The system has been prototyped and tested with 25 test cases (13 malignant, 9 benign and 3 with no lesions) which are intended to show the strengths and weaknesses of the approach. Experts agreed well with the classification and localisation in 17 cases. The system is usually weak when the evidence on the image is considered weak by the expert. It is concluded that the system is promising and should be developed further by providing more training to the network. Introduction According to Boone et al (1990a), radiologists first read the radiographic images and compose a mental list of abnormal findings which may serve as clues in the diagnosis. They state that this first stage process of diagnosis is clearly one of pattern recognition. However, it could be argued that this is a gross oversimplification of what is a much more complicated cognitive function especially where there is a less direct correspondence between the image and its physical counterpart as in the ultrasound image. In these cases, a more complicated model might include, for examp..